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The municipal People’s Committee announced it at a seminar on waterway tourism held in the city recently.
Under the plan, at least seven waterway tourism products will be developed along Saigon, Dong Nai, Nha Be, Soai Rap and Long Tau rivers and Ben Nghe, Te, Tau Hu and Lo Gom canals by 2020.
The number of tourists purchasing waterway tourism products is expected to reach 450,000 next year, with a growth rate of 15 per cent a year on average.
As part of the plan, the first public river bus route in Ho Chi Minh City has begun operation since last month.
The number of tourists purchasing waterway tourism products is expected to reach 450,000 next year.
The 10.8-km Bach Dang- Linh Dong route, with 12 stops, starts at Bach Dang Wharf in District 1, and goes through districts Binh Thanh, Thu Duc, 1 and 2.
Bui Xuan Cuong, director of the city’s Department of Transport, said many waterway tourism routes would be developed in coming years, including routes from Ho Chi Minh City to Binh Duong, and to Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces.
Greenlines DP Company will launch high-speech boats for a route from the Ho Chi Minh City centre to Can Gio District on December 23, he said.
Ho Chi Minh City has 1,000 km of rivers and canals connecting the city with the neighboring provinces of Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Long An and Ba Ria-Vung Tau and the provinces of the Mekong Delta.
At the seminar, participants suggested that the city should build more boat stops to develop river tours into a major tourism product of the city to attract more travel enterprises to invest in the sector.
The city currently has only three boat stops, namely Tan Cang, Cau Mong and Vuon Kieng, and last named situated at Bach Dang Wharf. Among them, Tan Cang station is far from the city centre and Vuon Kieng station has just been upgraded.
Meanwhile, the fee to use Cau Mong station is high, VND500,000 for a boat each time. Besides, the station has no restrooms, so only four enterprises have used the facility, said Lieu Thi My Hanh, sales director of Hoang Trieu Construction Investment Corporation which operates 15 canoes.
Other companies trading in restaurants and yachts in the Saigon River such as Indochina Travel Yacht, Viet Princess and Blue Pearl Voyages also agreed that the city should build boat stops at favorable positions, saying they are willing to invest in these projects.
Nguyen Dinh Cuong, managing director of Blue Pearl Voyages, said that the company wants to invest $10 million in the initial stage of a yacht station project on Nguyen Binh Street of Nha Be District.
Besides, Nguyen Van My, Director of Lua Viet Travel Company, said restaurants, shopping services and tourist destinations should be carefully planned along the river to attract tourists.
Unnecessary requirements to operate river transport and tourism services should be streamlined to encourage more investors, My said.


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Olga Verkhovskaya and Dmitry Knatko presented the report “GEM Russia 2018-2019”
On June 4, GSOM SPbU researchers presented the full version of the national report “GEM Russia 2018-2019”. According to the experts, in 2018, the assessment of the availability of business opportunities in the regions where respondents live was increased by 5% and the assessment of the ease of starting a new business increased by 3%. Despite this, the majority of respondents believe that it is difficult to become a businessman in Russia.
“Among the reasons why people do not want to launch their own business is the fear of failure,” said the head of the GEM Russian team Olga Verkhovskaya on the presentation of the report.

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PORTLAND, Ore. — KATU has discovered a potentially major loophole in Oregon's new distracted driving law while looking into concerns from Uber and Lyft drivers.
The measure brings stiffer penalties in the hopes of getting people to focus on driving, not distractions. Right now in Oregon it's illegal to hold your phone while driving only if you're talking or texting at the time. But as of Oct. 1, when the law goes into effect, you won't be allowed to hold your phone or electronic device at all behind the wheel. If you're not holding it, however, and you just touch or swipe it, it's a different story.
"When you're driving there are times that you have to click," Kazzrie Hecahti, who places her phone on a mount attached to her car's air vents while at the wheel, told KATU on Monday.
She started driving for Uber and Lyft in Portland more than two years ago and she sits on the leadership committee for The Drivers Collective PDX, a ride-hailing driver advocacy group.
"In my experience as a driver the police have been very friendly in my direction," Hecahti said.
But after learning about the new distracted driving law, Hecahti and other drivers like her told KATU they had concerns.They were particularly worried about the wording on a "fact sheet" about the law from the state. It says"it is illegal to drive while holding or using an electronic device" that isn't hands-free or "built-in" unless you're deactivating or activating the device. Hecahti said drivers frequently have to touch phones behind the wheel because that's often when they get requests for service.
"If you don't tap it, it's a 'ding' on you," Hecahti explained. "You have 15 seconds (until) it goes to the next driver. ... It counts against you or what they call your 'acceptance rating.'"
After KATU asked Uber and Lyft about it, both companies said they and their drivers will safely follow the rules.
A Lyft spokesman cited a part of the actual text of the new law naming multiple exceptions including one that says it does not apply to a "person who activates or deactivates a mobile electronic device or a function of the device." That allayed Hecahti's professional concerns although she said she still wishes it were clearer.
"If there's a loophole that drivers can get through if you can tap and swipe, anybody can tap and swipe," Hecahti said.
KATU asked Sgt. Michael Berland, an Oregon State Police spokesman, about the loophole. He admitted the term "function of the device" is not defined by the law.
"With that being such a wide and just a general, generic term of just 'function,' I think that would rely on the trooper (or officer) on scene to figure out if the function of the phone is appropriate within the spirit of the bill," Berland said.
Of course with no clear definition of the term "function of the device" in the law it also potentially opens up several ways to get a ticket thrown out in court.
Also hands-free accessories for phones or electronic devices don't just have to be "built in."
The law says, "'Hands-free accessory' means an attachment or built-in feature for or an addition to a mobile (communication) electronic device (, whether or not permanently installed in a motor vehicle,) that when used gives a person the ability to keep both hands on the steering wheel."
News article and video by KATU News


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“At least 75 people have been killed and hundreds more injured by an explosion at a car part factory in China,” The Week UK reports. “Industrial accidents are not unusual in China – in 2012 more than 70,000 people died – but this one has made headlines in the west because it might delay production of the iPhone 6.”
“Apple is expected to unveil the handset in mid September, and recent reports have suggested that it will go on sale about a month later. But those forecasts are now in doubt,” The Week UK reports. “‘It’s thought the delays could impact on Foxconn, a key part of Apple’s supply chain, who recently took on 10,000 new staff to cope with the demand for iPhone 6,’ the Daily Mirror reports.”
“The factory affected by the blast is unconnected with the Apple supply chain, but in response to the accident Chinese authorities have ordered production to a halt at any plants carrying out similar work,” The Week UK reports. “Aluminium alloy used in the iPhone body is polished at Foxconn, according to the New York Post. In May 2011, three people died in an explosion at Foxconn’s metal polishing workshop, the South China Morning Post reports.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Nope.
Our condolences to all of those affected by this tragedy.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]


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Many business owners underestimate data security risks, so they don’t do nearly enough to protect employee and customer information.
Cyber criminals can steal sensitive data from small businesses online, offline and from the recycling bin.
Almost 50 percent of 1,000 small businesses surveyed said the time and money necessary to secure their business isn’t justified by the threat, according to a November 2010 National Cyber Security Alliance and VISA survey.
About 85 percent believe they are less of a cybercrime target than large companies.
“That concerns me significantly,” said Michael Kaiser, executive director of the alliance. “The big banks and the big name brands have learned how to become secure, so opportunistic cyber criminals move down the food chain to find new opportunities in networks wherever they can. Data is the coin of the realm to people who broker information.”
Cyber criminals collect your employee and customer information, tie it to addresses and Social Security numbers and sell that information on the black market. So business owners need to realize if they collect data, they need to protect data.
Employee education is critical to maintaining security, but 75 percent of business owners said their employees have gotten less than three hours of network and mobile device security training during the past year, and 47 percent said their employees received no training.


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Latest: Industry Focus: Food Processing – The Process Of Consistency - In this day and age, food processing plays an essential role in enhancing our way of life by ensuring that the food produced meets consistent quality standards.
In addition to support from the state government, Ann Arbor SPARK, an organization dedicated to economic prosperity and development in the greater Ann Arbor region, has also helped bring Eberspaecher's expansion to fruition.
The company’s first U.S. service center is expected to come online in the third quarter of this year and will allow voxeljet to print on-demand parts, molds, cores and models for automotive and other industrial customers.
Slated to close in 2010, the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant rises from the ashes with nearly $1 billion in investments; new paint and body shops transform plant into flexible, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
Headquartered in Auburn Hills since 1986, GKN has more than 300 employees at its current 113,000-square-foot facility. Employment is expected to grow by 50 or more full-time employees in the next three years.
To date, four economic development organizations from four Great Lakes states have signed on to sponsor the ninth annual event, which will take place May 19 - 21, 2013 at the Westin Stonebriar in Dallas, Texas.
Three years into a remarkable surge in growth, Faurecia North America announced more details of its plans for a new headquarters building in Auburn Hills, MI, at the hub of activity for southeast Michigan's auto industry.
The company HQ will be based in the iconic Fisher Building, located in downtown Detroit. A site has also been identified to assemble the first ever pure electric sports car in Michigan, with production to start in August.
In the drive to remain competitive and to free themselves from the encumbrances of labor unions, US manufacturers have been shifting resources to right to work states, where they believe the machine can run better.
Every year, we showcase the economic development deals with the biggest impact and rank the top states and metros. Now, we turn our spotlight on the agencies with the best practices who have achieved overall excellence. From the March/April 2012 issue.
Befitting a state that is home to majestic snow-capped Rockies, Utah continues to scale new heights with an aggressive economic development strategy that has made the Beehive State a leader in a bevy of high-growth sectors. From the January/February 2012 issue.
The future of economic development is taking shape at major international air hubs that have become the anchor of an organically expanding growth strategy: the Aerotropolis. From the January/February 2012 issue.
NESA is a regional, non-profit, economic development organization that serves nine counties in the northeastern corner of South Carolina. Our primary objective is to create jobs for the residents of the region by working within the existing industry base and recruiting new companies.


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CANTON, Mass. (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Copley Pharmaceuticals rose more than 20 percent Tuesday following news that Teva Pharmaceuticals agreed to buy it for about $220 million in cash.
The merger combines two generic drug makers.
Teva, teviy Israel's largest drug firm, makes generic versions of brand-name drugs, including anti-infectives, heart drugs and pain relievers. Copley concentrates on hard-to-make drugs that sell in relatively small amounts, according to Hoover's Inc.
Shares of Copley rose 1 15/16 to 10 13/16. U.S.-listed shares of Teva slipped 3/16 to 48 1/8.
"The merger will strengthen Teva's position in the U.S. generic drug market and further enhance the breadth of the generic product line being offered in the U.S. by Teva, Eli Hurvitz, Teva's chief executive officer said in a statement.
As part of the worldwide Teva group, Copley will bring with it personnel, facilities, an existing product line and a development pipeline which will complement Teva's existing operations in the U.S., Hurvitz said.
"Clearly the key here is going to be cost savings," said Ken Nover, an analyst at A.G. Edwards.
Teva can cut costs by boosting manufacturing efficiency. It also stands to benefit from sales synergy, new products and a broader pipeline, which it can buy for a "reasonable price," Nover said.
The generic drugs business is very competitive, Nover said. It's characterized by intense price battles and pressure to come up with new products constantly, especially those for whom competitors have a low barrier to entry, he said.
Under the terms of the agreement, Teva's U.S. subsidiary agreed to acquire all the outstanding shares of Copley for $11 each in cash.The transaction is valued at approximately $220 million.
Hoechst AG, which owns 52 percent of Copley, agreed to tender its shares.


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Nike Store finds new home on Robson Street A major international retailer is returning to Robson Street after a two-and-a-half year absence from the shopping precinct. Nike will occupy a two-storey, 4,000-square-foot retail unit previously occupied by Mexx, which closed … Continue reading
We scoffed when Russia did it. We laughed when the USA did it. Then it was time for Canada to unveil their new jerseys for the 2014 Winter Olympic games in Sochi, Russia. In all fairness, the picture that was … Continue reading
Winter running is not my favorite thing. Here is why. My body does not like the cold. A few years ago I experienced a very nasty viral infection that turned in to a full blown cough that lasted for a … Continue reading
Zack Kassian believes he can get over back spasms and heightened expectations to deliver for the Vancouver Canucks, no matter what line he plays on. (Getty Images via National Hockey League).
From press box to the first line. That would be quite the position transition for Zack Kassian. The Vancouver Canucks winger wasn’t in the lineup when the Presidents’ Trophy winners were eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings last spring in … Continue reading
Once again, violence has exploded around the release of a new basketball shoe in the U.S., this time over the Nike Foamposite Galaxy outside a Foot Locker in Orlando, Florida. Police were called in and evacuated hundreds of people to … Continue reading


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$1,603.40. That’s the price it’s going to cost you for an ounce of gold today, and if it seems like a pretty hefty price, that’s because it is — gold is at an all time high.
Monday’s cost-per-ounce marked the eleventh consecutive rise in gold prices this trading season, which also puts the precious metal at its highest dollar amount ever. Last week’s high of $154.90 had set the previous record.
This doesn’t necessarily mean things are going good for the US economy, however, so don’t get your hopes up — it’s actually quite the contrary. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested that the Fed might be in the market for some gold purchases in the near future as the dollar weakens, which many are saying has caused a surge in demand and thus cost.
“I think people are coming to realize that the economy is weakening again and the government might see a need to try to stimulate the economy further,” Joe Foster, portfolio manager for the Van Eck Global International Investors Gold Fund, tells CNN.
EverBank World Markets President Chuck Butler adds to the sentiment, saying that the rise in price is a result of fears of the economic crisis only worsening. “We’ve had no shortage of people saying there is going to be Armageddon if the debt ceiling isn’t raised,” Butler tells TheStreet.com.
Adjusted for inflation, today’s high still falls short of the price of gold back in 1980. In January that year, the cost of an ounce hit the equivalent of $2.261.33 today, as inflation plagued the country.


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The Union government of India has summoned the ambassador of the Republic of Korea, on Tuesday to discuss the issue regarding the major row over a social media post on the Kashmir Solidarity Day by the Twitter handle of Hyundai Pakistan.
As per the official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs has said that the government has expressed its strong displeasure over the unacceptable social media post to the ambassador. The statement issued by the government of India has highlighted that the matter was concerned with the territorial integrity of the nation which will not be compromised at any cost.
The spokesperson from the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi took to his Twitter to state that the company is expected to take appropriate measures to properly address the concerned issue. In response to the statement, the South Korean Hyundai Motors had expressed regret for the tweet by its Pakistani partner stating that it was unauthorised and it has been deleted after it was criticised heavily.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar from the Ministry of External Affairs spoke on phone with the Foreign Minister of South Korea, Chung Euiyong, and the Korean counterpart expressed his regret over the issue. They discussed various issues on the phone, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea said that they deeply regret the offence caused to the people of India and the government as well, for the social media post, as per Bagchi’s statement.
Bagchi further stated that India always welcomes investments by foreign companies in several sectors but they are expected along with their affiliates will refrain from false and misleading comments on matters related to the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the country.
It all started on Sunday, one day after Pakistan had marked the annual Kashmir Solidarity Day and there were posts on social media on behalf of Hyundai’s partner Group, Nishat Group surfaced on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The posts commemorated the sacrifices made by the people of Kashmir who were struggling for Self-Determination.
As soon as the posts appeared on various social media platforms, hundreds of users in India called for a boycott of the brand stating that Hyundai must apologise for being insensitive towards India’s position on the dispute that is going on for decades. The #Boycotthyundai was trending on top on Twitter on Monday, like people demanding the dumping of the carmaker in the country and were encouraged to choose Tata Motors instead.
Hyundai was not the only brand that faced backlash for offensive posts. Other consumer brands such as KFC, Kia also were subjected to backlash on various social media platforms over tweets by their outlets in Pakistan. After the boycotts gained momentum, the South Korean based firm issued a statement mentioning that it had a zero-tolerance policy towards any insensitive communication and they further said that any such view was strongly condemned by the company.


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What the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is all about?
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) is a huge new global trade deal agreed between 12 Pacific Rim nations including the US and Japan. It covers almost 40% of the global economy and is the biggest trade agreement in the past 20 years.
The objective of the deal is to closely link the economies of these nations and reduce barriers to trade, such as taxes on goods traded across borders.
The participating countries include:
- United States
- New Zealand
In a statement made by Obama, he sais, "This partnership levels the playing field for our farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers by eliminating more than 18,000 taxes that various countries put on our products."
The TTP addresses the 21st century trade issues, such as intellectual property transactions, digital trade rights, and protection for investors.
The agreement is a lot more than a trade deal. It has more than two dozen chapters that cover everything from tariffs to the handling of international investment disputes.
Agreement will lead to more trade which is good for the global economy.
This content is for paid members only.
Join our membership for lifelong unlimited access to all our data science learning content and resources.


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Facebook is reporting that Messenger has reached more than 1 billion active monthly users.“Today we are announcing that more than 1 billion people now use Facebook Messenger every month, making Messenger one of only a handful of apps worldwide that touch so many lives,” the company wrote on its news blog
Messenger has grown rapidly in 2016, gaining around 100 million active users every three months. The service hit 800 million users in January and 900 million in April. Facebook released a flurry of stats about Messenger, noting that Messenger has become the second most popular iOS app of all time (behind Facebook, of course). It’s been downloaded over 1 billion times on Android, and 1 billion messages are sent between people and businesses every month.
People are using Messenger for more than just text messages. The app also allows users to make voice over IP (VoIP) calls to each other. The functionality has become such a popular part of the service that Messenger now accounts for 10 percent of all the VoIP calls made on the Internet. Messenger users are also sending each other 22 million GIFs every day. Gaming has also been a popular feature on the app, with users playing 1.2 billion games of basketball and 250 million games of soccer through its games interface.
The platform is also becoming an important way for businesses to interact with their customers. Messenger currently hosts more than 18,000 bots, with 23,000 developers having signed up for the company’s bot development program.


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Mobile Internet is booming everywhere, especially in South East Asia(SEA). It’s amazing how the statistics stack up and showed that SEA is the darling of mobile Internet. Statistics announced by Opera’s State of the Web report (full disclosure: I work for Opera) proved so.
The introduction of this special report says that:
Southeast Asia is a “rojak” (Malay for mixture) with different levels of Internet development. Singapore has one of the world’s highest broadband-penetration rates while countries like Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar lag behind.
With more than 500 million people, Southeast Asia is an presents an exciting opportunity for mobile developers and operators. Countries in the region have grown their mobile Web uptake significantly. The lack of broadband Internet infrastructure in some countries has contributed to the burst of mobile browsing. Heavy users often opt for the latest phone model that comes with 3G and it has become increasing popular for mobile operators to offer fixed-rate 3G packages, which consumers use to replace their broadband access.
Popular sites in Southeast Asia are a mix of international sites and local ones. Singapore has mostly international sites, while Vietnam has mostly Vietnamese in the Top 10. We also see a huge social network following in the region. Friendster, Hi5 and Facebook all ranked strongly. In our August report on the Long Tail, we showed that Friendster alone contributed to more than 50% of the monthly data usage in Indonesia.
Born and bred in this region, i am always amazed how quick users adopt to the latest handphones. There is an ill-attempted joke saying that you can scope up many fancy secondhand phones from the school kid here and sell it elsewhere in the world.
Looking at the statistics, Malaysia leads with 462.6% growth in users this year, followed by the Philippines (396.4% growth) and Indonesia (329.5% growth). Even though these statistics are measured solely on Opera Mini browser usage, it very much tells the story of Internet adoption as Opera Mini has a huge market share in mobile browsing.
So why is Internet browsing so big in SEA?
Firstly the telecommunication providers are taking steps to generate data income(to substitute voice call revenue drop). For example earlier this year, the biggest telco in Malaysia, Maxis ran a series of advertisements to promote broadband Internet usage, this might be the reason of Malaysia’s usage spike.
Another blessing in disguis was the less-than-ideal landline speed. Places such as Indonesia has huge appetite for Internet. So when landline couldn’t satisfy them, people went mobile broadband.
Thirdly would be because of the traffic condition of parts of SEA. Long hours in the car meant that everyone wanted to find something to do in rush hour, and mobile Internet answered the calling.
Last but not least is the status symbol of chic handphones. There are groups of people, young ones especially that scramble to buy the latest handphones ,this means that their handsets come equipt with 3G and HSDPA and what not.
Looking ahead in 2009, Mobile Internet will continute to grow as telcos continue to push their 3G services. Mobile Internet will be advertised as an ideal platform to acquire the latest services. From Location-based services to dating tips, from weather forecast to mobile games.
Wow Nice .I am Awesome Information about Mobile Internet Is Booming In South East Asia I am using the wireless internet It makes rid of wires ..It's also very very fast access..I found My Downloading 925 Kbps,Uploading Speed 241Kbps..Using the site ip-details.com/internet-speed-.
Wow Nice .I am Awesome Information about
Mobile Internet Is Booming In South East Asia I am using the wireless internet It makes rid of wires ..It's also very very fast access..I found My
Downloading 925 Kbps,Uploading Speed 241Kbps..Using the site ip-details.com/internet-speed-.
An overwhelming 63% of Indonesian Internet users have adopted mobile Internet in April 2011- placing Indonesia at the top in South East Asia (SEA) for mobile Internet use. … popularity of Smartphones, “Along with the boom of Smartphones throughout the region, a growing number of consumers, including over five million Indonesian Internet users, are adopting mobile Internet to access infotainment, conduct business and engage in e-commerce while on the go. ……
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Opera Mini browser has recently come up with a new update to attract more users and survive the competition against other mobile browsers like Chrome and UC Browser.
The new updated Opera Mini comes in with a new user interface designed to help users get around the software and on to specific web pages more easily.
Also, users can experience an “overhauled” Speed Dial feature for managing bookmarks with customisation options to make it easier to use on different devices.
The update also seems to have made the browser more responsive among different devices with a scalable interface that automatically adapts to a tablet or large-screen smartphone and ensure that the application and web pages look perfect on those devices.
One more important point worth noting about the new update is that, it is now made available for devices with Android 2.3 and higher making the application available for the old-school Android users too.
This updated browser we feel to be an answer to low-powered smartphones and tablets and we can also expect this to be specifically designed for emerging markets around the world.
According to CNet, the new Opera Mini Browser comes with an ability to compress the data to as little as 10 percent of its original size to make it load more quickly and use up less of a person’s limited data allocation.
This, as we all know, looks like a very important feature as we all are aware how much of data would many of those huge websites eat up in our Internet plan.


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Inland ports aren’t just a U.S. phenomenon. Industrial real estate developments anchored by intermodal connections and access to highways are expanding in Mexico and Canada, too.
One such initiative is in Monterrey, Mexico, where seven developers and investors are working to position a 3,300-acre site as a hub in the northeastern state of Nuevo Leon. The inland port, situated at a nexus of major highways, will have a short line connecting to the intermodal lines of Ferromex and Kansas City Southern de Mexico.
Some 70 million people reside within a 560-mile radius of Monterrey, allowing shippers to reach Dallas-Fort Worth and Mexico City, said Silvano Solis, CEO of Interpuerto Monterrey. The closest ports to Monterrey are in Altamira (350 miles) and Brownsville, Texas (200 miles). From the west coast, Lazaro Cardenas (803 miles away) and Manzanillo (750 miles) are the closest seaports to Monterrey.
The Monterrey region is already a hub of aerospace, automotive, machinery, and food and beverage production. The region is growing rapidly as manufacturers move production south of the U.S.-Mexico border for generally more affordable and stable labor, and lower real estate costs.
“With the rising middle class, Mexico is becoming a market into itself, and a lot of companies are taking more strategic logistics locations,” said Solis, formerly a senior vice president and head of Mexico operations for ProLogis, the world’s largest industrial property developer.
Steel pipe manufacturer Tubacero and Mondelez International, a food and beverage producer, are the first two companies to set up shop at the inland port. The latter, a Kraft subsidiary, will have the largest cookie factory in the world when a 1.4 million-square-foot facility opens later this year. Both companies have purchased the land at Interpuerto Monterrey, a rarity in Mexico because most industrial parks don’t sell land to companies. Those that do attract premium prices, Solis said. The inland port also is seeking foreign trade zone status.
Durango is developing its own inland port on a 4,000-acre site to capitalize on manufacturing and distribution growth in the Mexican state of the same name, said Esteban Rosas, the state’s deputy minister of economic development. An intermodal terminal connecting to Ferromex lines, stretching northeast and southeast, via a short line opened in January.
Rail access to the western port of Mazatlan doesn’t exist, but a nearly $2 billion highway to the port will open in late October, allowing trucks to drive up 70 mph and carry 40-foot containers. The major engineering feat, a key part of Mexico’s major infrastructure investment push, will allow trucks to make the 200-mile journey in three hours, instead of eight. The inland port already has attracted a textile factory and two undisclosed industrial tenants, Rosas said.
Canada is developing inland ports in Calgary and Winnipeg. Calgary’s efforts got a boost this year when Canadian National Railway opened a $100 million logistics park with an intermodal terminal and capacity for more than 2.5 million square feet of industrial space. Canadian Pacific Railway in June launched faster intermodal rail service between its Calgary terminal and Toronto. CP’s intermodal terminal is adjacent to a 200-acre industrial park.
From a highway perspective, Calgary, a city of about 1.4 million, is at the intersection of the Trans-Canada and CANAMEX highway systems, giving shippers access to markets as far as Alaska and Mexico. Shippers will be able to bypass most of the city’s urban area via a provincial ring, with the southeast portion slated for completion by October, according to reports. The Calgary International Airport complex — where UPS opened a $30 million hub in 2010 — gives shippers, including those in the oil equipment industry, an expedited option.
U.S. retailers’ movement into the Canadian market has been the largest driver of industrial real estate activity in Calgary in recent years, said Tom Dixon, business development manager for real estate and logistics for Calgary Economic Development. Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Costco have scooped up distribution space in the city, and Dixon hopes Nordstrom will do the same.
Meanwhile, CentrePort Canada, a 20,000-acre port in Winnipeg and Rosser, Manitoba, is developing a common-use rail facility it hopes to open in two years. Shippers could continue to stage their own cargo at their facility for pickup and delivery by CN, CP and BNSF Railway trains, CentrePort CEO Diane Gray said. The Canadian-based railroads have intermodal terminals in the area, and BNSF has a transloading facility nearby.
“Winnipeg has long been a transport hub in Canada,” she said. The city “is the only place east of Vancouver served by three Class I railroads.”
A four-lane freeway, set to open later this year, will allow inland port shippers to avoid urban congestion and get to the Perimeter Highway in five minutes. The $212.5 million highway connects to Manitoba Highway, which runs to the Emerson border crossing, the busiest commercial port of entry in western Canada. From the Perimeter Highway, shippers also can access the east-west TransCanada Highway and Manitoba Highway 6 to reach the northern part of the country.
CentrePort began marketing the site in 2009, even though more than 500 companies, including Boeing, Magellan Aerospace and Bison Transport, already were located there. Since 2009, CentrePort has attracted 30 more companies and developed 150 more acres of greenfield, Gray said.
Winnipeg has weathered the global economic shocks well, thanks to a diversified industrial base, and the good times aren’t expected to end any time soon because more energy and mining projects are on the way. The city also has carved out a niche role in the distribution of fresh and frozen food, with grocers Safeway and Sobeys using the area as a distribution hub.


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FDA advisory committee to meet in July on opioid painkiller
SYDNEY — A Food and Drug Administration panel will consider whether to recommend approval for an experimental painkiller in July, the drug’s developer said Friday.
Australia-based QRxPharma said the FDA had determined that an advisory committee would meet on July 17 to consider a resubmitted application for Moxduo, an immediate-release formulation of the opioid painkillers morphine and oxycodone.
The company has sought approval for the drug since summer 2011, and the FDA has indicated it will decide whether or not to approve it in August 2013. The agency is not required to follow advisory committee recommendations in deciding whether or not to approve a drug, but usually does.
New vitamin-based anti-aging serum hits market
BOISE, Idaho — Epionce has announced the launch of Intense Defense Anti-Aging + Repair Serum, which it is positioning as the first complete multivitamin for the skin.
The serum is designed to stimulate skin rejuvenation using botanical sources of vitamins A, B, C, D and E without irritation.
In an independent clinical study, Epionce Intense Defense Serum was tested against Skin Medica TNS Recovery Complex serum and Skinceuticals CE Ferulic serum. The Intense Defense Serum was proven to diminish signs of visible aging faster than the other two serums, and with far better tolerability, according to the manufacturer.
Mylan launches cholesterol drug
PITTSBURGH — Mylan has launched a generic drug for treating cholesterol, the company said Friday.
Mylan announced the launch of fenofibrate tablets in the 48 mg and 145 mg strengths. The drug is used to reduce so-called "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B while increasing "good" high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in adults with primary hyperocholesterolemia or mixed dyslipidemia.
The drug is a generic version of AbbVie’s Tricor. Various versions of the drug had sales of about $1.2 billion during the 12-month period that ended in March 2013, according to IMS Health.
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Apple is reportedly working to rollout new iPhone variants that will have iris scanners in 2018. The biometric identification system uses an individual's eye for unlocking a device.
The latest disclosure comes from Digitimes, which quoted industry sources to report that smartphone vendors are behind the biometric recognition technology for their high-end models. Even Samsung is also working on its next-gen Galaxy Note device which is expected to pack iris scanner. Recently, a bunch of screenshots got leaked suggesting how to setup iris scanner on the handset.
The current iPhone and iPad lineup use fingerprint scanning technology called Touch ID that is embedded into the home button. But in 2018, the iris scanner could replace Apple's signature technology from its handsets.
Apple was said to be actively investigating iris scanning technology since 2014. The company has been looking for new ways for applying sensors such as compasses and accelerometers to improve facial recognition. The technology could improve security, photo and other facets of Apple iDevices.
Even KGI security analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier predicted Apple's 2017 iPhone model might incorporate biometric recognitions either facial or iris.
Apple also owns a few patents related to secure facial recognition technology that takes a two-dimensional image of an individual and render it in 3D, reports AppleInsider. In addition to that in January this year the company acquired Emotient, a start-up that uses artificial intelligence to read people's facial expression. In November last year, it bought Faceshift, another Zurich based start-up that was behind motion capture technology.
Apart from Apple and Samsung, a few China-based vendors might also be developing their own biometrics technology, said the sources. These companies are LeEco, Xiaomi and 360 Qiku. Other tech firms such as Qualcomm, Truly Opto-electronics, O-film Tech and Beijing IrisKing have also accelerated their development of iris and other biometrics scanner solutions to support the smartphone manufacturers.


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TikTok’s Growth Collapse: What’s the Cause and Can TikTok Pull it Back?
Apr 04, 2024
For an app that has received expeditious growth since its launch in 2016, we never thought we’d learn of its lack thereof in the final quarter of 2023. More shockingly, its complete reverse in the US, leading to a general decline in TikTok growth in 2024.
The platform’s spike in popularity in 2020 hailed it a game-changer within the social media landscape, offering users a never-before-seen endless stream of short-form video content, as well as an algorithm that prioritised creator discoverability. By 2021, TikTok had 656 million users, and every other platform vying after its success by launching their own TikTok-esque features. Think YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.
At this time, TikTok had nailed the user experience with its addictive For You Page by learning what each individual user liked and feeding them copious amounts of relevant content that both entertained and educated on new niches/topics. Additionally, TikTok became a hub for creativity, offering creators and influencers features such as TikTok Live, Stitching, and content Playlists which helped them better organise their creations for the purpose of improving their discoverability.
But with all of these great additions, the launch of several others over the years have sparked a lot of debate, leading to the decline in TikTok growth in 2024.
The introduction of TikTok Shop, along with the more recent push for long-form content output, are just a few of the changes leading TikTok users to question if the once-great platform is starting to lose its charm. Now that the likes of Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are offering short-form content without all the extra hassle, it’s no wonder users are spending less time on the platform and more time elsewhere.
So what’s really going on? Read on to discover if the TikTok growth in 2024 can be saved.
WHAT’S CONTRIBUTING TO THE DECLINE IN TIKTOK GROWTH IN 2024?
Users are getting older
Think back to the year you downloaded TikTok for the first time. Struggling? Our point exactly.
When TikTok first launched, it quickly became popular among young kids and teens, who were drawn to the unique creator-friendly content and culture – particularly the viral dances.
For those who were 14/15 years old at the peak of TikTok’s popularity in 2020, they are now 19 going on 20, fresh out of school and most likely in a new job or at university, studying. For many, their parents no longer cook their meals, do their laundry or ferry them around to their hobbies. This leaves a lot less time for doom-scrolling on TikTok.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported on the matching statistics for this claim, stating that TikTok’s US average monthly users between the ages of 18 and 24 declined by nearly 9% between 2022 and 2023. Given that TikTok today heavily prioritises business, this decline in time spent among adults (the core users) on the platform is detrimental to those looking to TikTok for boosted brand awareness, generating sales, and driving conversions.
From a business perspective, TikTok Shop ticks all the boxes. Its integration into in-feed videos makes for a more seamless shopping experience, as consumers aren’t asked to click away from the platform in order to complete a purchase. With everything being available and finalised in-app, it’s no wonder more and more brands are looking to sell their products here, in turn, contributing to the TikTok growth in 2024. Similarly, TikTok Shop benefits the influencers selling these products, as they receive 5% commission after 90 days post-account activation.
But how do the users feel?
Many favoured influencers gained their audiences because their content was “real”. Videos about their favourite products were made because they were genuine recommendations, not because they were receiving commission. TikTok Shop now takes away the authenticity of these recommendations.
The once-addictive For You Page has now become a stream of promotional content for this feature. If you were to open the app right now, you probably wouldn’t make it past four videos without encountering some sort of TikTok Shop content. This is what’s leading to a decline in TikTok growth in 2024.
For the users who joined TikTok for a sense of community and discovery, seeing TikTok likened to a Home Shopping platform isn’t appealing and reduces that all important “time spent” among core users.
The push for long-form content
Steadily over the years, TikTok has made small adjustments to the preferred content type its algorithm pushes. Fast forward four years and the once-short-form platform now allows videos up to 30 minutes and actively encourages creators to post horizontally.
Far-detached from the TikTok we fell in love with back in 2020, the platform is now shifting its priorities in a bid to compete with long-form giant, YouTube. Just as every other platform introduced new features to compete with TikTok’s trailblazing lead on short-form content, it’s understandable that TikTok is looking to YouTube to do the same. However, is relying on long-form content as the next stage in its evolution, wise?
TikTok initially grew because it housed addictive short-form video content. Sure, longer content will keep users on the platform for longer, but with attention spans decreasing, forcing long-form content isn’t particularly the most effective way to improve user retention.
The clear lesson here is that pushing users to unlearn behaviours they’ve been practising for years comes at a cost. That cost being the decline in TikTok growth in 2024.
Where TikTok was once considered the Wild West when it comes to content, it seems to be cracking down immensely on what can and cannot be posted. While it’s imperative that every platform conforms to a set of content guidelines, TikTok now arguably takes this to extremes.
Just a fleeting mention of certain words or topics now leads to an immediate shadowban, violation, demonetisation, or strikes against the account. Though the appeal process for these unfair judgements is simplistic, they can often take days to go through and, a lot of the time, are not approved at all.
Today, creators have to go to extraordinary lengths out of fear of violating community guidelines. Add this to the increased difficulty in creating content for a platform that now prioritises long-form, horizontal content, and you inevitably lead to the decline in TikTok growth in 2024.
Lack of organic reach
One of the biggest challenges creators and influencers face on TikTok today is the lack of organic reach. The app’s algorithm used to be its greatest feature, giving everyone an equal opportunity to go viral if their content was creative and different. Fast forward three years or so and it’s become harder than ever to reach people on TikTok.
With ‘low’ periods becoming more commonplace, it begs the question, what’s the point in having followers on TikTok if they’re not even being exposed to your content?
The lack of organic reach not only makes it even harder to get discovered, but hinders community-building practices, as the viewers are unable to keep returning for more. Unlike Instagram Reels, TikTok is yet to find the perfect balance between acquisition and retention. This appears to be the greatest obstacle creators are now facing on the platform, and leads many to give up altogether; further contributing to the decline in TikTok growth in 2024.
Given this, TikTok now runs the risk of being depicted as a platform that you might go viral on every now and then. As these chances of virality dwindle, creators are seeking solace in the likes of Instagram and YouTube, where their work can actually be capitalised on. For those who still want to focus their efforts on TikTok, the idea is to now diversify your social strategy by posting on a range of platforms, while still remembering quality over quantity, always. Identifying which of these platforms serves which role for your brand is a great way to diversify your content. While TikTok may be the place for discovery, it might not be where you can expect your most loyal audience.
CAN THE COLLAPSE OF TIKTOK GROWTH IN 2024 BE PULLED BACK?
For TikTok growth in 2024 to rise again and get back to its 2020 roots, the platform has a responsibility to dust off its social listening skills and adjust its features in accordance with what its users (or what’s left of them) are raising concerns over. It’s no secret that many people turn to TikTok for a quick burst of passive, entertaining short-form video content. Addressing this issue first will then have a knock-on effect and positively reshape other elements. TikTok Shop ads will no longer be forced onto a user’s FYP and so time spent will increase in line with TikTok growth in 2024.
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Google has done it again. The tech company’s newest project is trying to reach out to diabetics by working on contact lens designed to calculate glucose levels in tears. A wireless chip, a small glucose sensor and tiny LED lights to warn the wearer if the glucose levels are too high or too low are part of Google’s prototype, a project still in its infancy. Although discussions with the FDA are still in progress, Google’s new technology could ease diabetics’ lives.
Project co-founders Brian Otis and Babak Parviz have just spread the news regarding Google’s newest project, an idea which stems from the alarming number of diabetics worldwide. After the International Diabetes Federation gave up hope and declared that one in every 19 people on Earth is struggling with diabetes and the drudgery of wearing a glucose monitor which receives information about glucose levels from a sensor inserted under the skin, Google is now trying to make things less painful for 347 million of people. Otis and Parviz believe that Google X laboratory has the necessary technology to find out if miniaturized chips and sensors and an antenna no thicker than a human hair can solve the question which has been hovering over the tear glucose, namely if it can accurately track glucose levels without disrupting the human body.
Google revolutionizes the medical world
Taking into consideration the fact that millions of people die from consequences of fasting high blood sugar, Google’s technology could determine diabetics to check their blood glucose more often. The potential of the tech company’s prototype has already generated appraisal from both diabetics and non-diabetics, who once again reach common ground: that this wearable gadget with genuine medical benefits could be diabetics’ chance to live a normal life.
Pertinent questions from Google enthusiasts revolve around the smart contact lens’ price, but offering an answer could put the project co-founders in difficulty for now since the product is far from seeing the daylight. According to proud Google employees, blending science and engineering into a small device will clearly make a difference in diabetics’ lives and this extreme wearable technology could revolutionize the medical world. Moreover, sources say that although Google just broke the news, the prototype’s internal presentation occurred a while ago, so the company’s research is more advanced than people might think. The world is unanimously cheering for Brian Otis and Babak Parviz’s idea to free people with chronic medical conditions from the stigma of the monitoring device.
Google also announced that it is seeking partners who can help the company develop apps which will allow wearers and doctors to have access to the measurements gathered by the smart contact lens. Although the company admits that its newest project may seem strange or speculative, Google has made it clear that the discouraging predictions issued by the International Diabetes Federation represented the engine that led to the birth of the smart contact lens.
This is not the first time Google X, the company’s hidden laboratory is generating worldwide interest, but its desire to solve whatever problems humanity might encounter has reached new heights. If the company’s new technology can help diabetics lead a normal life, Google will be able to check off medical breakthrough.
By Gabriela Motroc


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Kansas City has reached a six-month deal with Bird Rides, Inc. that will allow the scooter-sharing startup to have as many as 500 of its scooters on the city’s streets while generating revenue — and potentially user data — for the city.
Bird debuted in Kansas City in July without advance notice or regulatory approval. On Tuesday, the city and the California-based startup agreed to formal terms for the company to operate its network of app-enabled dockless electric scooters in town.
Bird will pay a standard $500 commercial fee, and it will pay $1 per day for every scooter it operates in the city. The city has also requested the company provide demographic information on its users.
Bird and other companies have taken a guerilla approach to launching operations in cities across the country, including across the state in St. Louis. They have been met by blowback in some places, but Kansas City officials signaled a willingness to make deals similar to the Bird arrangement with other scooter startups.
Read more: Kansas City Star


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See Update below.
One of the more curious aspects of Accoona, a Jersey City company that began life as a search engine, is that it wound up buying several Brooklyn-based electronics dealers with reputations for aggressive sales tactics and poor service. An article on Accoona’s troubled attempt at a public offering ran in today’s Times.
I was never able to figure out how Accoona got into this corner of the electronics business. But here are a few more facts I was able to find.
What Accona Bought
Accoona purchased three Brooklyn-based electronics retailing companies. Their previous headquarters have been photographed by Don Wiss, a Brooklyn photographer who has made a hobby of taking pictures of photo and electronics stores.
Accona paid a total of $35 million for DOD Marketing Inc., Digitaletailer Inc., and BDD Solutions, which between them ran Dealsondigital Com, butterflyphoto.com, digitaletailer.com, buydigitaldirect.com.
In march 2006, it paid $9 million for Skynet Communications Corp., Zylonet Systems Inc. which operated LCDTVs.com, BestBuyPlasma, PlasmaBAY.com, SkyNet22.com and NYLiving.com.
Also in March 2006, Accoona paid $5 million for Internet Media Group, which operated the BuyersEdge shopping search engine. Some of the shareholders were also owners of Skynet.
BuyersEdge isn’t much of a search engine, in fact. Most of its product listings, however, come from eBay’s Shopping.com unit.
Consumer complaints abound for Accoona’s electronics businesses. Many talk about hard sell tactics on the phone, shipping problems and unresponsive customer service.
Thomas Sehr, an Intel employee in Arizona, said that ordering a range hood from Accoona’s NYLiving.com site was “the worst online experience I have had in my life.” He created a Web site devoted to his complaint.
In a telephone interview, Mr. Sehr said his credit card was charged immediately after he ordered, but the hood never arrived. For the better part of two months, his kitchen renovation was delayed as he was unable to get anyone in Accona’s customer service department to provide him information on his order’s status.
“It was like I was talking to a phantom company,” he said.
UPDATE: I heard from Valentine Zammit, Accoona’s chief executive, who wondered whether it was fair for us to publish the photos above of the former sites of these electronics dealers without showing their current home. He sent some pictures of Accoona’s new electronics distribution in South Plainfield, New Jersey. Here they are.


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With the grand theatrical release for Kabali taking place today, the most waited film of the year has finally made its splendid arrival. This Rajinikanth starrer has taken the entire country by storm with theaters being sold out weeks in advance, certain cities like Chennai and Bengaluru announcing the 22nd of July as a holiday due to large number of leave requests coming in order to watch the movie and cinemas airing the film as early as 4 am to accommodate the huge influx of Rajini’s fans fighting to catch a glimpse of ‘Thalaiva’ is his new avatar.
Kabali and Social Media
For the scores of die hard Rajini fans in India and abroad, the makers of the film haven’t released any special footage or a trailer for the film apart from a 30-second teaser. Not surprisingly, this was more than enough to pique the interests of his massive fan following. The teaser of the film which released on 30 April took over social media - crossing 25 million views on YouTube, to become the first Asian film to achieve the feat.
On their official Facebook page with a total number of 270, 363 likes and an average of 1000 likes on every post, the Kabali page has kept its Social Media Strategy fairly simple and gained popular attention by sharing user generated content. Hence, for the Social Media promotions, the makers decided to let Rajinikanth’s star power do the talking and kept their content simplistic.
On Twitter, the popular hashtag #KabaliDay has been trending all day nationally with other famous celebrities giving their regards to Thalaiva and his film.
There were no other Twitter promotions or an official handle made for the film and no promotional tweet put out by either Rajinikanth except for when Kabali officially began shooting and that single tweet gained around 22,000 likes and 13,000 retweets.
Apart from Social media promotions, here is a roundup of the collaborations under taken by the makers of the film in order to give you an idea of the Kabali fever that has infected the nation!
Bharati Airtel Announces Kabali Exclusives
One of biggest networks in the country announced the launch of Kabali exclusive products and services which included special “Kabali” recharge packs with unlimited 2G internet, Hello Tunes as well as a new ‘Kabali’ branded SIM pack.
Airtel also set up a special SMS channel for users to wish Rajinikanth before the film’s release. All of which was collected along with the customers names and presented to the superstar himself as a memento in the form of a coffee table book.
Kabali themed Air Asia Flight
AirAsia unveiled its new re-branded aircraft featuring a livery dedicated to the film and the fans, after being announced as the official airline partner. According to the company, this special aircraft is a mark of respect to the ‘Thalaiva’ for his contribution to Indian cinema. The AirAsia India network flew this aircraft across all its destinations covering Bengaluru, New Delhi, Goa, Pune, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Guwahati, Imphal, Vizag and Kochi.
Being the official airline partner for Kabali, it took a special flight from Bengaluru to Chennai for the fans to watch the first-day-first-show of the movie. Bengaluru fans, who want to catch the first show on the first day, are able to fly to Chennai on a special flight. The package, priced at ₹7,860, is inclusive of the flight ticket, a movie ticket, an audio CD, Kabali merchandise, breakfast, lunch and snacks.
Reportedly, AirAsia has also launched a social media contest on their official Facebook page where top 10 winners get to watch the first show of Kabali on the day of release. Three other winners stand a chance to fly to the locations where the movie was shot in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Silver Coins Embossed with Rajinikanth’s Image by Muthoot Finance
Joining the in the Kabali madness is Kerala based Muthoot Fincorp who took to issuing 999 pure silver coins with the embossed image of the superstar. Booking for the special edition silver coins were available from July 15th
in 5gm (For Rs.350), 10gm (Rs.700), 20gm coin and pendant (Rs.1, 400).
Apart from the above mentioned, there were a number of other brands that indulged in the Kabali frenzy. Where PVR, the official multiplex partner offered customers a special digital poster with the PVR logo up for sale on its website. Kabali merchandise like T-shirts, key chains and Rajinikanth figures are being sold through Amazon and Cadbury too partnered with V creations and renamed their popular chocolate ‘Five Star’ as ‘Superstar’s Five Star’.
As the country gears itself to delve into Thalaiva’s new release today, the makers of the film left no stone unturned to promote the film, they’ve managed to rope in the biggest names from various industries such as AirAsia, Cadbury and Airtel to promote the film. However, knowing the impact Rajinikanth’s movies have on the Indian public, the idea of the film not becoming a widespread box office hit is unfathomable.
So, are you a Thalaiva follower? And did you manage to catch his latest flick?


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Citibank Hungary has begun offering contactless stickers to holders of its Citi Life, Shell Citibank and Magyar Telekom Citibank cards. The MasterCard-branded stickers can be used at any merchant equipped to handle PayPass transactions.
- Zuckerberg: Facebook is working on payments but it will take time to get it right
- Starbucks now processes six million mobile payments a week
- Hillshire sells more sausages with BLE beacons
- Amazon to enter mPOS market?
- Motherboard leak fuels iPhone NFC rumours


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Continuing its support to the “Rata Purama LANKA QR” campaign, Sri Lanka's most digitally innovative bank HNB PLC, partnered with leading semi-precious jewellery merchant Stone N String to offer customers exciting discounts and deals during the month of February.
The partnership which will offer customers exciting discounts via HNB's digital app SOLO in celebration of Valentine's Day was launched at the Stone N String showroom in R. A De Mel Mawatha. HNB Deputy General Manager- Retail and SME Banking Sanjay Wijemanne, graced the occasion.
"We are delighted to partner with yet another specialized industry to offer our extensive customer base with exciting discounts through our very own digital payment app SOLO. The partnership is another step in promoting LANKAQR to our customers and offering a convenient and safe payment method to celebrate special days with their loved ones. As such we are delighted to add Stone N String to our extensive merchant network," HNB Deputy General Manager- Retail and SME Banking Sanjay Wijemanne said.
Customers hoping to shop at the jewellery store are entitled to purchase coupons to the value of Rs. 3,000, Rs. 4,000, and Rs. 5,000 at a 25 per cent discount on the SOLO app. The discounted coupons will be available for customers to purchase during the month of February, while the coupons will be valid until March 31for redemption.
"We are delighted to be partnering with HNB to facilitate the safe mode of transactions for our loyal customers while offering the best possible deals during this month. As a leading jewellery merchant with an extensive network across the country we are also excited to be a part of LANKAQR revolution sweeping across the country," Stone N String Chairman and Founder Mohamed Muhiyadeen Saheed said.
To commence the campaign, Stone N String will offer the first 25 customers who use HNB SOLO a ruby pendant set in sterling silver.
Having linked LANKAQR to HNB SOLO, the bank was among other financial institutes and telecommunication partners to join the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in promoting digital payments as the standard for day-to-day transactions island-wide.
Launched in 2019 as HNB's flagship digital payments solution, SOLO provides the convenience of digital transactions via the affordable, easy and widely-adaptable QR code, a more cost-effective option when compared to alternative payment solutions available in the market.
The bank has continuously bolstered SOLO's features and functionality while refining its user interface to make QR-based payments intuitive, easy to use, and versatile. SOLO has also provided extensive promotions and rewards to its growing user base. Additionally, the app can digitally store all payment instruments, including VISA, MASTER debit and credit cards, and any bank accounts connected to the JustPay payment ecosystem.
HNB and Stone N String teams at the event


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Janet Sparks reports at BlueMauMau that following much turmoil and bad press over its legal team’s aggressive tactics against franchisees, Dunkin’ Brands CEO Nigel Travis has just announced the latest in his reorganization of corporate executives, stating that the company’s controversial chief legal counsel Stephen Horn is leaving to pursue new opportunities. His email letter to franchise operators reads,
Dear Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins Franchisees,
After 10 years with Dunkin’ Brands, Steve Horn has decided to take this opportunity to announce his intent to leave the company. Steve has communicated that he will pursue new opportunities including his passion for writing. A well known author, Steve has had significant success with his two previous novels and has decided that this is the time for him to start the third. At our request, Steve had agreed to stay on working with myself on special projects until the end of December.
Steve has always striven to act in the best interests of our brands, our franchisees’ investment in those brands, our customers and the thousands of employees in our restaurants who work so hard to serve these customers. We appreciate Steve’s integrity, his total dedication to the company and his many years of service.
On an interim basis and effective immediately, Arthur Anastos, director and managing counsel, will assume management of the legal department.
We plan to quickly recruit an experienced general counsel from the outside. With that hiring of a new general counsel, we will have finalized our Dunkin’ Brands leadership team.
I look forward to discussing the new organization with you and our exciting plans for the future at the upcoming RAC meetings and as I visit markets around the country.
Thank you for your support,
Dunkin’ Brands CEO and Dunkin’ Donuts President
Robert Zarco, Zarco, Einhorn, Salkowski & Brito, representing a number of franchisees, recently affirmed that the franchisor’s “loss prevention” department headed up by Horn has been turning its lawsuits against operators into a major “profit center.” In hearing today’s announcement, Zarco stated, “I believe these draconian tactics have caught up with Steve Horn. He has been a bully for years.”
Zarco also feels that the franchisees uniting into an association has demonstrated the force and strength it can have with a franchisor. He said, “It’s only because the franchisees got together that they were able to effectuate this kind of impact and resolve. My hat goes off to them.” But he added, And, congratulations to the board of directors of Dunkin’ Brands for making what I am sure was a very difficult but appropriate decision, which has been long overdue.”
Read more at: BlueMauMau


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This award represents a significant level of recognition from an industry leading publication
Scotts Valley, Calif. (PRWEB) March 4, 2009
Nadel Phelan, Inc., specialist in strategic technology communications, today announced that it has been named a finalist for "PR Company of The Year" in Secure Computing Magazine's Awards Europe 2009. Nadel Phelan was selected for its creative and effective public relations campaign promoting IronKey's innovative secure USB solution.
Nadel Phelan is a leading provider of strategic technology communications for security clients in a variety of vertical markets including government, financial services, telecommunications and education. By developing a comprehensive public relations program aligned to IronKey's business goals, Nadel Phelan supported the growing visibility of IronKey's innovative solution. Within six months of the campaign's launch, IronKey had secured over 1000 pieces of coverage and three award wins, reinforcing its position as the leading developer of the world's most secure USB flash drive with press, analysts, customers, partners and the developer community, while elevating awareness of the thought leadership the executive team brings to the market.
IronKey is a leading developer of mobile data security solutions offering products and services that bring the power of authentication, encryption, identity management, and privacy to consumers and businesses around the world. With industry first deployments including the Silver Bullet Service, which provides the ability to remotely track, deny access or destroy IronKey USB secure storage devices, IronKey is clearly a leading innovator in the mobile security industry.
The SC Magazine Awards Europe are widely considered to be the most prestigious awards program in the information security industry. Now in their fourteenth year, the awards have a long-standing tradition of promoting excellence.
"This award represents a significant level of recognition from an industry leading publication," said Paula Phelan, CEO of Nadel Phelan, Inc. "We are honored to be a finalist for the prestigious title of PR Company of The Year. Thank you to IronKey's exceptional product line and amazing team."
About Nadel Phelan:
Founded in 1993, Nadel Phelan, Inc. specializes in comprehensive public relations for a roster of clients ranging from venerable industry giants to exciting startups. By combining high-level industry knowledge with in-depth technology experience, Nadel Phelan provides its clients with the strategic and tactical services necessary to establish and maintain marketplace awareness essential in obtaining and preserving a competitive edge. Nadel Phelan is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California with offices in New York, Hong Kong and London. For more information please visit http://www.nadelphelan.com or call 831-439-5570.


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RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that Virginia welcomed 413,000 overseas visitors in 2014*, a 17% increase over 2013. The marked rise is the largest percentage increase in the past five years, and the first time during those five years that the Commonwealth’s overseas visitation numbers have exceeded 400,000.
“Virginia’s tourism industry is essential to our economic future and it is thriving,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Tourism is instant revenue generator that helps us build a new Virginia economy by creating jobs and bringing new economic activity to our Commonwealth. The incoming dollars from tourism have the power to support our communities with economic, socio-cultural and environmental improvements – all of which improve the quality of life for Virginia residents.”
In June, Governor McAuliffe announced that Virginia’s domestic tourism revenues for 2014 are expected to exceed $22.4 billion, a 4.1 percent increase over 2013. In 2014, tourism in Virginia supported an estimated 216,000 jobs, an increase of 1.5 percent in employment, and provided more than $1.5 billion in state and local revenue, an increase of 5.6 percent compared to 2013. The increase is largely attributed to Virginia’s authentic, local travel experiences and surging culinary scene.
“We are working hard to make Virginia the premier place in the country for international visitors, and these numbers demonstrate that all of our efforts are paying off,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones. “The Commonwealth boasts many assets that are attractive to tourists and businesses alike, making Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
The continued growth of Virginia’s tourism industry is a major priority for Governor McAuliffe and his administration. Recent trade missions to Asia and Western Europe focused on tourism and economic development opportunities. Local events provided an opportunity to showcase the Commonwealth’s rich history, natural beauty, and abundant cultural resources, as well as Virginia’s central location for business and connectivity to global markets.
Personalized, local and authentic travel experiences offered across the Commonwealth also contributed to the increase in visitation in 2014. International visitors enjoyed experiential travel activities: visiting 36 state parks and 28 miles of warm, sunny beaches; sipping wine at one of 250+ wineries; tasting oysters from one of Virginia’s seven oyster regions; listening to music along 300 miles of the Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail; traversing 90 miles of ATV trails; and cruising more than 3,000 miles of scenic roadways, taking travelers to coastal beauty, mountain vistas, quaint small towns, and peaceful countryside. These unique tourism businesses and products are also important economic drivers in the economy.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation is the state agency responsible for marketing Virginia to visitors and promoting the 46-year old Virginia is for Lovers brand. Virginia is for Lovers is the longest-running state tourism slogan in the country. Virginia is for Lovers stands for love, pure and simple, and promotes the state as the ideal destination for loved ones to completely connect on a great vacation. Virginia is for Lovers was named one of the top 10 tourism marketing campaigns of all time by Forbes and was inducted into the National Advertising Walk of Fame in 2009.
*Data Source: 2014 based on Travel Market Insights U.S. Inbound Travel Monitor, prior years custom NTTO SIAT. The Virginia Tourism Corporation (virginia.org) receives its annual economic impact data from the U.S. Travel Association. Detailed economic impact data by locality is available on vatc.org under Research.


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UDF takes cue from Xavier Square project
United Dairy Farmers is building a bigger and better convenience store at the corner of Montgomery Road and Dana Avenue in Evanston, right across the street from the revived mixed-use development formerly known as Xavier Square.
Tim Kling, UDF’s director of real estate, said the company has acquired six properties on either side of its existing building at the busy intersection and will begin demolishing them soon. The current store, which was built in 1982, will eventually be razed to make way for a new 4,300-square-foot store that will also have as many as six gas pumps, Kling said.
“We’ve been working on it for about three or four years,” he said. “It’s always been a good store for us. We were just landlocked.”
Plans for the new store are still being tweaked to come up with the best fit for the expanded site, he said. Building on the new store will probably start next summer, and it should open in late 2013 or early 2014, he said.
UDF began assembling the parcels three years ago, according to Hamilton County real estate records, and closed on the last one earlier this year.
The company briefly looked at moving the store across Dana Avenue to the Xavier Square project but decided to stay put when adjacent parcels became available, Kling said.
“We’ve been aware of the Xavier project. We’ve always known that that area was going to improve,” he said.
Newberry covers commercial real estate, courts and legal industry, manufacturing and GE Aviation
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StoreDot, the extreme fast charging battery pioneer, announces patent filing to revolutionize charging times and makes the technology available through open source to benefit the automotive and battery ecosystem
- StoreDot has filed a patent for technology that will rapidly increase the crucial ‘miles per minute’ of charging ratio that is currently a major barrier to electric vehicle adoption
- Revolutionary battery advancement developed by StoreDot experts combines hardware and software and will be open-source, available to any other technology provider
- New patent pending technology allows batteries in electric vehicles to accept higher currents, charging them faster, safely, and can also be used to improve the charging rates in existing electric infrastructure
- StoreDot is a pioneer and leader of extreme fast charging battery technologies, enabling a 50% reduction in charging time at equivalent cost
- StoreDot gives automotive manufacturers a clear technology roadmap for seamless and rapid transition to electrification to help create a cleaner world
Herzeliya, Israel, Wednesday, 25 August, 2021: StoreDot, the pioneer of extreme fast charging (XFC) battery technology for electric vehicles (EVs), is underpinning its leadership in XFC technologies with a patent for revolutionary systems that will decrease EV charging times. These systems are set to significantly improve the rate of miles per minute of charging, which remains a major barrier to EV ownership for many potential buyers.
The new breakthrough technology covered by the patent will be accessible to the entire market, marking a first for an advanced automotive battery company. StoreDot is making the technology available to other organizations to help expand current charging infrastructure, speed up the global adoption of electric vehicles and create a zero-emissions world in the future.
The patent pending technology incorporates hardware and software advances that create a “booster” feature, allowing the battery to analyze the capability of the charging station in real time and to adjust the battery’s ability to carry high current rates. This communication between a vehicle’s XFC battery and charging system means that cells can be charged faster, safely accepting a higher current without overheating. It also has the ability to immediately boost existing infrastructure systems, enabling faster charging, and thus optimizing future fast-charge technologies without the need to upgrade to newer equipment in the near future.
Dr Doron Myersdorf, StoreDot CEO: “This is an important step for the EV global community as it will allow all of us to charge faster with very minimal changes to the current infrastructure and future deployment process. That is why we believe it’s critical to offer this world-leading innovation to other organizations on an open-source basis.
“The global uptake and appeal of electric vehicles is crucial if we want to live in a cleaner, zero-emissions world and by sharing this novel approach StoreDot aims to play a pivotal role in helping to achieve this objective. We want to work with and support the global community, including automotive manufacturers and infrastructure providers in their missions as well, especially when the industry is facing a number of charging infrastructure deployment challenges, not least the global semiconductor shortage.”
This is the latest development in StoreDot’s rapid advancement in extreme fast charging lithium-ion batteries for use in the automotive sector. The Company is in advanced talks with many global car makers and remains firmly on track to deliver mass-produced XFC batteries, which deliver a 50% reduction in charging time at the same cost, by 2024. The Company has a clear roadmap where it is already working on next generation XED, extreme energy density solid state technologies which will enter mass production in 2028.
StoreDot is a pioneer of extreme fast charging (XFC) batteries that overcome the critical barrier to mainstream EV adoption – range and charging anxiety. The company has revolutionized the conventional Li-ion battery by designing and synthesizing proprietary organic and inorganic compounds, making it possible to fully charge an EV in just five minutes – the same time it takes to refuel a conventional combustion engine vehicle. StoreDot’s battery technology is optimized for best driver experience with XFC in Li-ion batteries, as well as future technologies for extreme energy-density (XED).
StoreDot’s strategic investors include BP, Daimler, Samsung Ventures and TDK. In 2019, the company achieved a world first by demonstrating the live full charge of a two-wheeled EV in just five minutes. In 2020, the company demonstrated the scalability of its XFC batteries for other industries, by fully charging a commercial drone in five minutes in another world first. Moving XFC battery technology from the lab to a commercially-viable product for the first time, StoreDot has launched engineering samples of its first-generation batteries that are designed to be manufactured at scale on traditional Li-lion production lines.
For more information see: www.store-dot.com.


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With Windows Phone 7.6 expected to launch anytime from beginning April. New information has surfaced about its true intentions.
Tango is expected to bring support for lower end Windows Phone devices, ones with smaller screen resolutions, as well as smaller processors and RAM. Along with this, certain applications will not be supported by Tango. Developers will need to re-write their apps to provide support for the smaller power now given to it.
Along with this, Mango and its successor Apollo, also known as Windows Phone 8, will co-exist with Tango and its successor, meaning there will be both a lower end and a higher end version, giving Windows Phone power to enter more markets. Phones powered by Tango are expected to launch in Q2 2012, but they may show up sooner depending on Microsoft’s determination.


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Supermarket packaging debate heats up in UK
The Local Government Association (LGA) should stop “carping” and start “collaborating” on reducing the amount of supermarket packaging going to landfill, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) told just-food overnight.The LGA on Saturday (11 July) called for the government to force UK supermarkets to reveal how much packaging they produce.
The association said only M&S, Waitrose and Morrisons revealed details about how much packaging they produce, while Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Co-op all referred councils to WRAP.
Reacting to the calls, BRC environment director Jane Milne, said: “The LGA appears to be more interested in publicity than achieving real environmental progress. It would make a better contribution to reducing the amount of packaging going to landfill by meeting us to discuss how we can increase recycling. It should stop carping and start collaborating.”
The consortium said that all publishing figures would do is “demonise” large retailers who use more packaging because they sell more products.
The LGA said it was calling on WRAP to publish, every three months, the amount of packaging each supermarket produces so that shoppers can compare and see which perform the best and worst at cutting back.
A spokesperson for the environmental company said: “WRAP publishes packaging data for the grocery sector as a whole, which is measured against specific targets. This is under a voluntary commitment, the Courtauld Commitment, which has already met its first objective of stopping the long-term trend in packaging growth despite a growth in population and an increase in grocery sales.”
Retail giant Asda said it is “frustrating” for the LGA to “keep pointing the figure of blame” rather than helping solve the problem.
“The cynical could be forgiven for thinking they simply want to gloss over the terrible inconsistencies that exist amongst local council recycling schemes. This post code lottery makes it nigh on impossible for national retailers to design packaging that can be disposed of everywhere – despite more than 90% of it being recyclable,” a spokesperson said.
just-food is the world’s leading portal for the global pre-packaged food and retail industries. Its daily mix of breaking news, views, analysis and research serves over 100,000 food executives each month. http://www.just-food.com/
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According to the Public Health England, Britain needs to go on a diet with immediate effect to curb the obesity epidemic. The PHE has come up with its new calorie guidelines that would cut the sizes of the meals and remove junk foods. This comes under the newly launched ‘One You’ campaign.
The PHE states that Britons need to restrict their breakfasts to 400 calories and their lunches at 600 calories each. The new slogan is “400-600-600”.While some believe these ceilings could be too low for growing children, experts warn that with rising trends of kids getting overweight and obese, these war rations might just be the right prescription.
According to these new guidelines, all junk and calorie rich foods such as Fish and Chips, pasta, processed meats, pizzas, cakes etc. need to be cut down. Duncan Selbie, chief executive at PHE said in a statement, “Britain needs to go on a diet… The simple truth is on average we need to eat less. Children and adults routinely eat too many calories and it's why so many are overweight or obese.”
The PHE has given the food industry six years to bring down their calorie counts in the food items meant for families by 20 percent. If the companies fail to adhere to these new guidelines, the PHE would make their names public and reprimand them suitably, they warn. To reduce calories, they could reduce portion sizes, make lower calorie versions and reformulate their food items, the PHE says. This includes regularly processed and manufactured foods such as sauces, meats, ready meals, sandwiches, pizzas and breads. According to experts like Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE, these form a major part of daily family diet. She added that all foods available need to change rather than providing a few healthy options. “We have more obese children in than ever before. We have moved on from (obesity) affecting a small section of society. It’s the norm now,” she said adding that one in five kids are now obese. These kids are eating as much as 500 calories per day while adults consume around 200 to 300 extra calories per day.
The PHE predicts that if this 20 percent cuts rule can be implemented within the next half decade, then over the next quarter of a century over 35,000 premature deaths could be prevented and the healthcare expenditure would be saved by £9 billion. At present the recommendations suggest 2,500 calories a day for men and 2,000 calories for women. The present guidelines allow for only 1600 calories. While some experts believe this is a step in the right direction, yet other are skeptical about the rations.
The PHE is spending £3.5 million on this One You campaign that urges people to look after their health more and eat better and lose weight. The campaign also focuses on healthy exercise and regular physical activity as a means to improve health.


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Brand new gameplay video showcases the many levels and characters of Rayman Legends.
New pack of screenshots show the colorful and wacky world of Rayman Legends.
Ubisoft developers continue to praise the new Wii U console from Nintendo.
The upcoming Wii U platformer from Ubisoft will be released in the first quarter of 2013.
New gameplay footage from Darksiders 2, NBA 2K13, Call of Duty Black Ops 2, and Nintendo Land.
Developers are still figuring out how to use the new technology, says Nintendo.
Wii U has “enormous amounts of memory”, is perfect 2D games like Rayman Legends.
Stunning screenshots are in 1080p resolution, perhaps an indication that the game will support full HD?
Final box art and European release date revealed by Ubisoft as well.
New video shows off the colorful environments and gameplay from Rayman Legends.
Ubisoft believes the Wii U will satisfy the hardcore gamers with its lineup of titles such as ZombiU, Assassin’s Creed 3, and more.
We already know that Ubisoft is developing several titles for the Wii U, and that their support for
A new trailer for Rayman Legends has been leaked and it shows off some of the Wii U


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Prices in stores are rising and consumers are facing an autumn crisis. Official figures show that inflation is on fastest rate in a decade in Augustas the effects of Covid-19 and Brexit drive up the cost of living.
The 1.2 percentage point rise in the consumer price index beat City economists’ projections and was the largest since January 1997, the year Gordon Brown later took the Bank of England Independence in fighting inflation. At 3.2%, the CPI is now the highest since March 2012.
Questions will be asked about Threadneedle Street’s response. But there is a tougher challenge for the Treasury Department: is this really the time to start getting more money out of people’s pockets?
Despite the rising cost of living, it looks to be going according to plan, with the biggest overnight social security cut ever planned Universal credit, a Public sector pay freeze and get up National insurance contributions.
September is the month NHS workers get an extra dollop of cash in their wage packages from the government’s July wage agreement, which was backdated to April. While this will help, the paychecks come as well 3% wage increase is being wiped out by the rising cost of living.
Combined with the end of vacation This month the government’s plans will take significant demand weakness out of an already weakening economy. The better construction strategy could soon be messed up by more of it, in a restart of the 2010s when the recovery from the financial crisis was stifled by austerity measures that hurt household purchasing power.
Labor and material shortages have burdened the activity in the last few months and brought growth almost to a standstill. With the delta variant threatening a difficult winter is ahead, experts warn that the UK economy is heading for a difficult phase.
The alarm bells should be ringing in the state treasury Rishi Sunak seems sanguine. There are reasons why the Chancellor can comfort herself a little. The Bank of England expects inflation to decline from a high near 4% this year as temporary factors recede.
Since the CPI is based on the annual change in the price of the basket of goods and services, much of the recent surge reflects a sharp setback after a record drop last year. Accordingly, record price increases in the last 12 months would have to set new records again and again in the next 12, and that is unlikely.
The biggest factor this August was the “Chancellor”“Eat up to help“A year earlier, when Sunak’s half-price dishes temporarily cut the cost of living. The National Statistics Bureau said inflation should have been at least 0.4 percentage points lower as a result.
But while the Chancellor was praised for her domestic help last year, the pressure is growing for the opposite reason.
Business leaders warn of delivery disruptions hold for at least two years and some changes will prove permanent, especially from Brexit the establishment of tighter trade barriers and the reduction in the supply of EU workers in the UK.
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The disruption of the supply chain is in full swing Worst since the 1970s and companies report a Record number of job vacancies. Shipping costs have quadrupled, raw material costs for manufacturers have skyrocketed, and global energy prices have hit record highs.
As growth hits a slump this fall, economists warn that there is a hint of stagflation in the air. It will be an uncomfortable time for the Treasury and the Bank of England, but even tougher for the UK budget under pressure.


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There's a growing list of signs that new CEO Thomas Kurian is starting to make Google Cloud more successful with big companiesJuly 23, 2019
- Google’s Cloud seems to be making progress under its relatively new leader Thomas Kurian in convincing big enterprise companies to give it a try.
- A startup that helps companies automatically reduce their cloud bills is starting to see its customers put a lot more stuff on Google Cloud.
- Major market research company Gartner also says Google is making progress with enterprises.
- On top of that, a Google developer relations pro has shown off how the number of individual services on Google Cloud has more than tripled over the past couple of years.
- Read more BI Prime stories here.
Google Cloud seems to be making progress under its relatively new leader Thomas Kurian in convincing big enterprise companies to give a try, according to several indicators.
While serving up cloud services to startups is a nice way to start — it is, after all,how Amazon’s market-leading Amazon Web Services platform got off the ground— if you want to be a true big cloud player, at some point, you have to start winning business from larger enterprises.
Kurian took over Google Cloud at the beginning of the year, after a long career at Oracle where he was leading the database giant’s effort to take on AWS. He succeeded Diane Greene, best known as the cofounder of VMware, as leader of Google Cloud. By hiring Greene, and then Kurian, Google has signalled its intentions to woo the enterprise market, which has, until recently, been mostly focused on using AWS or Microsoft Azure.
Under Greene, the process to win enterprises got started. She signed some critical partnerships with other tech giants, got a few big consultants to agree to sell Google Cloud, built out a rudimentary sales and support workforce, and made sure that Google Cloud had the basic features that enterprises require.
Now, there’s a growing list of signs that Kurian is taking that early start and running with it.
More Google Cloud projects
For instance, ParkMyCloud shared its quarterly research with Business Insider that shows that, for the first time, Google Cloud being used by its customers in a major way. ParkMyCloud is a four-year old company that helps enterprises track and control their cloud computing costs. It was recently acquired by cloud resourcemanagement startup Turbonomic, andcurrently has about 1,100 customers.
It scanned its network for usage patterns over the previous quarter and discovered more Google Cloud projects being managed by ParkMyCloud than ever before.
The ParkMyCloud data shows that although Google is still in a distant third place behind AWS and Azure, Google Cloud has gained market share in terms of the number of new customers.
And customers are now using Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud together, which is a new combination that’s emerged in the last six months. In the past, they were mainly using AWS with Azure, or maybe AWS and Google Cloud.
The data also shows Microsoft is gaining on Amazon. Every large ParkMyCloud customer that was exclusively using Amazon Web Services in years past is now using both AWS and Azure, the company tells us.
There are even a handful of companies using all three cloud service providers, which is also a new trend in the last six months.
Gartner’s Magic Quadrant
Market researcher Gartner also just released its famous quarterly “magic quadrant” report for the cloud market — its ranking of the major players, including assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of each.
For the second year in a row, Gartner put Google Cloud in as a distant third, with the two frontrunners being AWS and Microsoft.
It said Google’s strengths with big data, machine learning/AI and apps designed from scratch to work in the cloud, is “beginning to attract enterprises” looking to move big their big, expensive apps to the cloud. It gives the example of SAP, which became a cloud partner with Google under Diane Greene.
While that sounds promising, Gartner also warned that Google still has a long way to go before it really figures out how to work with enterprises. “Google demonstrates an immaturity of process and procedures” which makes it difficult to work with, according to its surveys of customers, Gartner says.
Specifically, Google isn’t the best at negotiating big contracts or supporting enterprises when things go wrong, it finds.
Google Cloud also doesn’t have a deep bench of resellers, consultants helping it do that kind of work, nor does it have a giant marketplace of third-party software compared to AWS or Microsoft. But Gartner believes that Google is “aggressively targeting these shortcomings.”
Hundreds of new cloud services and growing
While Google cloud is still years behind AWS and Microsoft in the number of cloud services it offers, it’s also not bare-bones anymore.
Google’s director of developer relations has been keeping a running list of all of Google’s services for years.
He recently tweeted what the list looked like in July compared to what it looked like 2017 when Google offered about 50 cloud products. The list of offerings is at least three times as long these days. And, while its still playing catch-up to leader AWS, the more services available to an enterprise, the more likely that company will be willing to give Google Cloud a try.
Get the latest Google stock price here.
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